


friends to lovers

by interitio



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: BokuAka Week, BokuAka Week 2020, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mutual Pining, bg kuroken if you squint, no beta imma be odasaku, rush rush rush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-08-05
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:13:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25731157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/interitio/pseuds/interitio
Summary: Akaashi and Bokuto after high school, and they're still pining.---Bokuaka Week Day 4:Friends to Lovers/Clothes Sharing/Neighbour AU
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou
Kudos: 47
Collections: Bokuaka Week 2020





	friends to lovers

**Author's Note:**

> it was supposed to be on the 3th of august i know, i just didn't have time-

Spring high finals. Fukurodani worked their way up to the top, one of the toughest weeks in their lives. This was the highest the team has ever gotten to, and Bokuto wad determined to win the nationals.

Bokuto felt like a supernova, ramming his way through without a care in the world. He was proud of his team, but he wanted to go further, to reach new heights that he’s never seen before. Akaashi, his closest friend and setter, had helped plenty. Taking charge of extra practices and coming up with new tactics to take down other teams. Konoha soon claimed that Akaashi was the captain instead of him, which got a laugh out of everyone as Bokuto pouted.

Bokuto liked Akaashi. It wasn’t hard to believe, Akaashi was basically perfect. Gunmetal blue eyes, dark messy hair, talented in plenty of aspects. He gained many confessions in Fukurodani Academy, though he turned them all down without hesitation, Bokuto wasn’t even sure if he was interested in guys, he saw Akaashi receive confessions from a number of males, but he rejected them just the same, without a reason as to why. Bokuto didn’t want to hide his feelings, but he didn’t want to be rejected by the setter either. He kept silent about it.

_It’s obvious you like Akaashi, you know. I’d be surprised if he didn’t know. He’s observant._

Maybe not. 

It had never unrequited. Akaashi had been interested the moment he laid eyes on the spiker in his third year of middle school, and his feelings had developed exponentially as he played beside Bokuto. Watching him work his way up into becoming a top 5 spiker in high school, watching him develop his love for volleyball, even though he’s talented at it and had played for an extremely long time. He knew Bokuto had liked him, but he wanted to keep his mouth shut tight until he- they were both ready.

_You noticed, didn’t you?_

_Of course I did._

_What are you going to do?_

_Nothing._

Months of hard work put in. the top 2 teams from the previous tournament, Itachiyama and Inarizaki, went down early. The finals was against a top 8 team, Ichibayashi High, something Akaashi had prepared for. Informing the team of his tactics and plans the night before in the motel while watching matches, the coach nodded silently as everyone in the room prepared themselves for the final match.

Screams and chants were heard throughout the stadium. Bokuto threw up his jacket, sporting a grin. Waving at the crowd, he caught sight of Akaashi catching his jacket with a roll of his eyes. _Best friends, huh?_

Cheering ensued. Bokuto took five steps back from the white line he was so familiar with, ears tuning into the sharp shrill that alerts him for his serve. Shutting his eyes, he imagined all possible ways the first serve could go, drilling down on the best outcome. 

The whistle sounded. The grey-haired setter bounced the ball thrice, spun it and took a deep breath. Tossing up the ball as he done so many times, he thinks about landing a perfect service ace on the opposing side. Leaping into the air, he imagined wings like an owl, spreading his feather to reach high up to the stadium’s ceiling, imagining no one but himself and his team reading to the top. As the ball reached his palm, Bokuto smashed it into the corner of the court, barely in the lines. Looking at the expressions of the opponent’s team, he saw their libero curse under his breath while the middle blockers stared at him with widened eyes. He watched as the crowd screeched his name, reminding him that it was just the start of the match.

Turning around to flash a smile at the applauding fans of Fukurodani, his teammates rushed towards him, sending him praises and encouragement. It all falls upon deaf ears when he heard Akaashi say, “Good serve, Bokuto-san.”

_Where did it go wrong?_

13 to 15. They lost that last set to Ichibayashi High. Bokuto was shut down by three blockers. Konoha tried to take the blame through his setting, but the spiker knew better. Keeping his composure, he announced that it was his fault without hesitation, watching his teammates’ expressions break down. The third years were finally leaving, just to remember them losing at the final set, the final spike. 

_Our last spike, our last set._

When they went back to Tokyo, Akaashi and Bokuto had stayed back to practice some more. Konoha waved them goodbye and left with the other third years, telling Bokuto not to overwork himself.

Bokuto decided to work on his serves, while Akaashi received them. Each jump serve slowly lost their accuracy and soon, a serve landed out, reaching the end of the gym. Akaashi watched as the spiker tugged his hair in frustration, groaning as he collapsed to the ground.

The setter sighed softly, ducking underneath the net to walk up to Bokuto. Kneeling beside him, he murmured, “It wasn’t your fault we lost, Bokuto-san. There were too many gaps in our plan.”

Bokuto shook his head. “Your planning and strategies were perfect, it wasn’t that. I should have gotten more spikes in, more points…” he muttered dejectedly, leaving Akaashi distraught. Sitting beside the spiker, Akaashi wrapped an arm around him, keeping silent as Bokuto sulked.

“Akaashi! I’m going to try out for the MSBY Black Jackals!” Bokuto had exclaimed on the last week of Akaashi’s school year, holding up a form for Akaashi to see.

“Good luck, Bokuto-san. I hope you get in.” Akaashi smiled slightly, seeing the spiker’s face light up from his words. 

“Thanks, Akaashi!”

_Goodbye, my love._

They didn’t lose contact after Bokuto graduated. He had joined the Black Jackals, and immediately informed Akaashi about it. He had also invited him to watch his first ever game as a regular on the team, which Akaashi agreed to watch, despite his hectic schedule as an intern for a publisher of a manga. 

He watched as Bokuto spiked, he watched as he turned to finger gun his fans cheering for him, he watched as Bokuto took the last point for the first set. Each time the outside hitter took a point, Akaashi felt like he fell deeper in love.

The Black Jackals lost, 3-2. Akaashi observed Bokuto, making sure he didn’t end up in his emo mode, as he often did in high school. Sending a text to Bokuto to tell him he would be waiting at a corridor, Akaashi picked up his belongings, sighing inwardly. Working through the crowd, he got to his destination and waited for the grey-haired man to arrive.

Bokuto arrived, freshly showered and changed, with one of the middle blockers beside him, though Akaashi forgot his name. “Bus in 15 minutes.” The large and bulky man patted Bokuto on the back and walked past Akaashi, heading to the exit.

“You did well, Bokuto-san.” Akaashi smiled slightly, hoping to improve Bokuto’s mood. However, the spiker just sighed. “We could have done so much better. We could have beaten them.” 

After chatting for a bit, the duo heard a voice call Bokuto. “Hey, Bokkun! Ya comin’?” Akaashi turned around to see a blond-haired male waving his hand, which Akaashi quickly recognized as Inarizaki’s setter, Miya Atsumu. 

_Bokuto-san’s new setter, huh?_

Bokuto waved back. “Yeah, give me a minute!” Bokuto turned back to Akaashi with an apologetic smile. “I guess I’ll have to leave now. Thanks for coming to watch, Akaashi!” 

Akaashi let himself smile. moving to hug the other. “Of course. You’ll do better next time, don’t worry.”

Flashing him a last grin, Bokuto turns to catch up with the other setter, chatting with him happily as they headed to the bus. _Was it jealousy he was feeling? And was it because he had someone else to replace Akaashi?_

Shaking his head, Akaashi turned to the carpark to head home.

Frequent meetups happened through the few years, from Bokuto’s games to quick catchups in cafes and parks. Texting every so often did not help either of them dampen their feelings, both helplessly pining for one another. 

_You could make a move, Akaashi._

_Konoha, I’d want you to know that is not what I’d like to do for now._

_Why?_

_…_

_I’m not ready, I guess._

_But then, when will you ever be ready?_

“The Black Jackals win, 3 to 1! Outstanding plays by both teams were shown! Congratulations!” Cheers erupted from the entire stadium, whoops and applause resounding. The two teams went to the net to shake hands, Bokuto greeting each one with a smile. Overhearing Hinata’s and Kageyama’s conversation, Atsumu and Bokuto started laughing, shaking their heads in disbelief.

Akaashi and Udai soon invited Bokuto over for an interview for Weekly Shounen Vai, quickly skimming through it. Udai seemed slightly confused by the duo’s way of conversing, but quickly shrugged it off as a form of their partnership.

After the interview, Udai dipped his head politely to Bokuto before turning to Akaashi. “I’ll be going back to Tokyo now. I’ll await your return tomorrow.”

Akaashi nodded with a smile, waving Udai away, returning back to Bokuto. 

When Akaashi heard about having to meet Kuroo and Kenma, specifically Kuroo, he knew that the place would turn into a ruckus. He knew. He watched as Bokuto and Kuroo jumped about, shooting each other finger guns as Kenma shook his head, sighing sadly. “Kuroo, you’re literally dressed like a mature man, why don’t you act like it…” 

“I am mature, Kenma! And it’s not like I wanted to wear this suit, it’s so hot right now!” Kuroo whined, attracting the attention from passers-by. “Hey, isn’t that Kodzuken?”

“Dammit…” Kenma looked like he was going through the five stages of grief in a such quick succession that worried Akaashi, but he watched Kenma shake it off and grab Kuroo’s arm.

“We’re gaining too much attention, let’s go. It was nice to see you guys again, Akaashi, Bokuto.” Kenma dragged Kuroo away as the latter yelled his farewells, gaining even more glances.

_Do it now, won’t you?_

_Yeah, yeah, I got it._

“Hey, Bokuto-san, I’ve been meaning to tell you something.” Akaashi started, causing Bokuto to turn to face him. They were walking out of the gymnasium, stopping beside a ginkgo tree.

“Oh? What is it?” Bokuto’s smile was radiating blinding light, causing Akaashi’s heart to stutter fondly.

“I… I like you, Bokuto-san. Will you go out with me?” Akaashi smiled softly, under the sunset, watching Bokuto’s expressions morphed into one of shock and joy. 

“Wait, really? Of course!” 

Akaashi laughed breathily, as Bokuto lunged to wrap his arms around him.

Akaashi was unable to watch the match live, due to the large amount of workload from Udai’s new series. He had his computer set up, watching the live stream. As he saw Bokuto leap up to spike, Akaashi felt a smile forming on his face, letting out a breath as the ball blew by the three blockers. 

Shaking his head with a grin on his face, Akaashi picked up his phone.

_Akaashi: hope youre enjoying yourself on court_   
_(sent at 10:37am)_

**Author's Note:**

> don't worry, akaashi, atsumu won't take bokkun away from you, the only atsumu ship in my heart is sakuatsu <3  
> i'll update my chatfic tmr oops, i don't have anymore prewritten ones though, might hurt my sleeping schedule again,,
> 
> leave comments and kudos, thank you !!


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